Blanket
by odalys-ortiz
Summary: John and Joss share a tender moment thanks to the cold weather and a blanket.


_Disclaimer: I don't own John or Joss sadly because they'd have long and fulfilling lives together all the time :D_

_A/N: Happy 2020 everyone. So yeah, I went on an unplanned hiatus thanks to my muse taking a long vacation. Hopefully, this year will see more ideas actually be written as John and Joss are just impossible to not think of some situations to put them in. My computer backlog is evidence of that. Anyways, I wish you all the best year you can have and enjoy :D_

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Blanket

John Reese's eyes slowly opened to gaze at the posh ceiling of his uptown loft. After blinking away the fatigue, he inched his way to a sitting position. As the thick blanket that covers his bare chest slip down, his body involuntary shivered at the cool air that had invaded his home. It was a hard reminder that the year was coming to end and with that, John's surprise that he continued to remain in New York after all this time.

The turn his life took was unexpected but it was one that he wouldn't change for the world because of all the people he met during his time working with Harold. However, if John was being honest with himself, only one person matter in this simple existence he had.

A smile threatened to tug at his lips while his mind conjured up an image of Jocelyn Carter, a tough fighter, a survivor, and a beautiful soul who somehow managed to tolerate all the crap he put her through. She truly was the reason why John had not only changed his mind about ending his life but striving to be the good man that she always saw him as. She was John's whole world but he could only muster up enough courage, back when they thought they weren't going to make it in their fight against HR, to tell her that she had saved his life. He was terrible with feelings thanks to the CIA frowning upon their agents getting mushy but at that moment, his heart finally remembered the name to the feelings that had grown since knowing Joss, those same feelings that he felt for Jessica all those years ago.

Sighing before glancing at the tableside clock to see that it was getting close to midnight, John threw back the covers and began getting dressed.

* * *

Joss was standing in her kitchen waiting as the milk she placed on the stove began heating up so she could indulge in some tasty hot chocolate to try and ward off the cold that was seeping in. Hugging her upper half that was in a baby blue t-shirt, her eyes drifted towards the window out to the night sky and let out a long sigh.

Being reminded of the year coming to an end brought quite the sobering feeling because she was so sure that she wouldn't have survived her battle with HR. Now Taylor was spending the weekend with the father that Joss was going to entrust with raising her boy in her place. It was good to have Paul back in their lives, even if things could never be like they used to be. He seemed to understand that too but remained civil with her, talking about his plans for what he wanted to do with Taylor during his Christmas break.

A few minutes passed before the milk began to lightly bubble. After removing it from the stove, she poured it into her favorite mug along with the chocolate sauce and began mixing. Joss's eyes began to water because she'd be able to get her baby a Christmas gift this year. HR was no more and it was truly thanks to the most unlikely friends she ever had. Her thoughts began to focus on one specific friend who was devilishly handsome and adorably shy. The kiss John laid on her in the morgue had continued to haunt her, especially his words that somehow she had helped him change his life for the better although she still wasn't sure what she did other than offer him help when he was at his lowest.

Sadness enveloped her at the memory of John's state when they first met. The people he worked with had turned their back on him because he became a liability and the woman he cared about had been murdered by the man who had taken her hand in marriage. Just as quickly, a smile tugged at her lips with the huge turnaround John made after that moment. Granted, he was a huge pain her ass since they began working together but it was for the right reasons. He was the most selfless man she'd ever known and wondered how he could continue to think of himself so poorly.

Joss had continued to question how long John had been holding his feelings back but soon realized that with him being who he was, he had done it because he thought that he didn't deserve anything good in his life and she hated that about him. John was a good man. She had believed that when she told Donnelly and that faith remained even now. Even if he felt that way, Joss thought back to how many times John went beyond the call of duty just for her, especially with a bunch of corrupt cops that had put a bounty on his head.

Her beverage cooled, Joss grabbed the mug and placed it to her lips. She welcomed the warmth of the sweet drink pass through her body, helping to ward off the cold, even for a little while. As she cursed her heater for crapping out on her now, there was a soft knock on her door. Darting glaring eyes towards the door, Joss had her suspicions on who would be on the other side.

Placing her drink down, she inched up to glance through the peephole and confirmed her suspicions. Sighing, she undid the locks and opened the door to a surprisingly dressed down John Reese. "I'm not gonna help you with a case tonight" she bluntly stated as a way of a greeting.

He simply smiled at her, still loving the spunk that she had even after all these years. "Detective, our docket is clear tonight," John noted the surprised look and didn't blame her. He wasn't someone that just dropped by her place to hang out.

"Uh alright. Come in." Joss stepped aside and as John came through, she admired his attire, especially the faded blue jeans that seemed to hug his hips too well. After closing and locking her door, she noticed a scowl gracing his face. "What's wrong?"

"I don't like how cold it is in here Carter. Is your heater broken?" He asked bluntly. The chill had been less noticeable at his place but even with his heat, he felt it. It didn't sit right to him that she was here like this and it became too tempting to offer an invitation the second she confirmed his suspicions.

Joss nodded her head as she returned to the kitchen. "Damn thing crapped out on me about two hours ago. Someone will come by tomorrow to have a look."

"Taylor?" He asked simply as his frame filled the kitchen's doorway.

"At his dad's" she responded just as simply. "Want something warm to drink? I just made myself a cup of hot chocolate."

John eyed her warily, looking for any signs of discomfort. Spotting a shiver here and there, he decided that he wasn't going anywhere until Joss was alright. "Sure, I'll take a cup.

"Then make yourself at home while I get it together." Turning her back to him, John made his way to the living room where he noticed a thick wool blanket bunch up on one of the cushions. After divesting himself of his coat and draping it on the back of the matching loveseat, he sat down. His ears made note of the small movements Joss made as his body began to relax just being in her home. She always seems to have that effect on him, a soother of the beast he liked to describe her as.

Her soft footsteps drew him out of his thoughts as she approached him with two mugs, handing him one. "So what brings you to visit lil ol' me when you have the night off? I doubt you get a lot of those with your crazy schedule thanks to your supercomputer friend."

"You get used to it" he replies before taking a small sip, enjoying the sweetness. His eyes followed as Joss readjusted the blanket before taking the seat then laying it over her legs. "What are you doing down here anyway?"

Joss chuckled softly. "I'm just not tired. Good thing you caught me while I was still awake. You could have just called, you know."

John answered with his trademark smirk. "What would be the fun in that?"

She merely rolled her eyes in response before taking a sip of her own. "Well, what about you? Shouldn't you be relaxing in that apartment that costs more than a year of my salary?"

"Couldn't sleep so I thought I'd bother a friend." John savored the laugh that he brought out of her, noticing the way her eyes twinkled in amusement.

"Your form of bothering usually involves breaking into my house. Either I need to tie a bell on you or just give you a damn key already." Joss missed the surprised look at her words when she leaned forward to put her now empty cup on the table and get comfortable by laying her back against the armrest and throwing her blanket over her small body.

After getting over the brief shock of Joss' joke offer to give him a key, John noticed her change in position and couldn't fight the smile at how tiny she looked buried under her blanket. To think about the strength that this woman possessed made it all that more amazing that she'd ever associate with a killer like him. Sadness licked at him as the idea of never being able to have a romantic relationship with Joss hit him hard. They were two different people and even through all the fighting, John still felt that he hadn't exonerated himself of all his sins.

"What's wrong?" Joss asked, noticing a harden expression appear. John merely waved his hand, brushing off her concern but she wouldn't let it go. "No, don't do that. You'll go avoiding me again." Her chest clenched at the memory of what happened to them after Rikers along with the feelings of hurt and abandonment. John was never supposed to mean anything to her but over the years, her heart yearned for his companionship, something that she hadn't missed since her marriage went south.

John offered a smile as reassurance. "Trust me, Joss, I'm never going anywhere again unless I'm dead."

"Well, that better not be for a long time, John. As much as you're a pain in my ass, it wouldn't be the same without you around." She snuggled further into the couch, watching him closely.

"Joss…"

"You don't think that I hate being around you, do you, John?"

"It's not that. It's more that I feel like I shouldn't put my problems on your shoulders so much. You've done so much for me like help bring real closure with Jessica and I still don't know how to feel about having someone be there for me knowing who I am."

She scoffed, grabbing his attention. "John Reese, for a CIA boy, you're pretty dumb you know that. I thought that you'd get it through your thick skull by now that the only thing I ever see is the you who you are now, the good man who, even though he sometimes takes too many risks for my liking, fights hard to protect strangers."

"It's because I'm trying to make up for what I did."

Silence enveloped them for a moment. "Okay, say that the day comes when you feel like you've done enough, what would come next for John Reese?" He was taken aback by the question. The thought that he'd be able to cleanse his soul of his sins seemed like an impossibility. "John, come over here."

"Huh?"

"Come over here" Joss repeated, pulling back the blanket to make room for him. Not finding a good enough reason to refuse, John maneuvered over to the empty cushion only to be greeted by her moving her body close, draping the blanket over him, then laying her head on his shoulder. "How do you feel right now?"

John eyed her before saying "warm". This close contact with the woman he had been fond of for many years now was giving him ideas of maybe having an actual life outside of the numbers, one where he could wake up every morning to her sleeping next to him. They would do normal things like have breakfast together, go out to enjoy the day, come home to a quiet evening, then end the day with lovemaking so passionate that it'd leave them exhausted but satisfied.

Joss's snort took John away from his reverie. "I mean emotionally. What do you feel curled up under this blanket with me?" Those beautiful brown eyes looked at him expectantly.

As his gaze raked over her petite face, John's heart squeezed as the real feelings he wanted to say came to light. He began leaning down slowly, giving Joss a chance to stop him. When she didn't, John pressed a brief but tender kiss to her full lips.

Pulling away, neither one needed to say anything else. Instead, they burrowed further under the blanket, content with being together in the here and now.


End file.
